Reactions trails new UK’s £3,000 visa policy bond as announced by the British Government.

The British government through its home office announced that visitors from Nigeria, Ghana, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh whose national are deemed to pose a high risk of immigration abuse will be required to produce a bond of 3,000 pounds which will be forfeited should they over stay in Britain.

According to British Home Secretary, Theresa May, the move was part of the British government policy to make immigration system more selective.

The Federal Government of Nigeria had described as discriminatory and capable of undermining the spirit of the Commonwealth family, the proposed new UK visa policy requesting visitors from Nigeria to post a £3,000 bond before entering the UK.
The Nigerian government has, therefore, asked the British government to reconsider the proposed policy, saying it is incompatible with the strong and cordial relations built over the years between the UK and Nigeria.

The Federal Government also assured its British counterpart that it has a responsibility to take appropriate measures to protect the interest of Nigerians who might be affected by the proposed policy, if finally introduced.

Responding to the media report about the UK’s £3,000 visa bond,
Sir Kelechi Deca,a renowned and celebrated journalist who had in the course of his career visited over 66 countries of the world and had positively impacted on their economies reacts thus:

“New Visa charges; who will lose?

I have not been to the UK in close to two years. I have not had need to, their visa on my passport is still valid and will be valid for the next two years. But even if it is expired. I will never cough out £3,000 (approx. N740,000) just to get a Visa to go to the United Kingdom. What is there that will propel me to pay such outrageous amount for just a sticker paper.

There were times I had so much miles on my Virgin flyer that it got me over three free tickets because of the frequency of my trips to the UK or through the UK. But things have changed, and I have not missed the UK in anyway. I helped my organisation get around what normally takes me there every month and we got people who provided same quality( if not better) services for the business in Nigeria( depending on job size), Dubai,South Africa and the US. Have I missed the UK?

I also know that there are others like me whose frequent traveling to the UK is strictly on business, businesses that otherwise put money into the pockets of David Cameron’s government,businesses that could help grow the Nigerian economy if we put our acts together. People of whom traveling is not for fun such as naming ceremony, wedding,engagement and shopping as Nigerians have taken their propensity to waste to such an incomprehensible level.

If many will think and see things like me,the question should be asked, is there anything service the UK can provide and no other country can provide same service at a more cost effective rate? Their currency is already a disincentive for business, so why must I go to the UK?

Lets see how it pans out, but left for me,I will not miss the UK, even though I like London,which in my estimation is one of the most friendly cities in the world. There are few cities you get so easily absorbed into as London.

But not at the cost of N740,000.

Good bye Virgin Atlantic, you can keep my Gold Card. Qatar and Emirates have proved to me that they are better alternatives”

What do you have to say about this? Share your views and opinions ! Thanks

Honestly, that’s absolute madness. Well, if they think that £3k will resuscitate their economy, Theresa May, George Osborne and David should better devise another means. Do they also consider how many people from those countries they denies Visa on daily basis? Do they pay the Visa fee back? Even to study there now with their strict regulations is not adviceable. Why worry to go there? My Visa still runs but not thinking of going back yet.